Factors affecting cybersecurity awareness among students in comprehensive private universities in the northern region of Malaysia

Tan, Kai Xuan and Lam, Qiao Yi and Ong, Jessica Ai Ling (2025) Factors affecting cybersecurity awareness among students in comprehensive private universities in the northern region of Malaysia. Final Year Project, UTAR.

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Abstract

The rise in cyberthreat cases among Malaysian university students highlights a pressing need to understand the factors influencing cybersecurity awareness. While prior studies have largely focused on computer science students or in workplace settings, limited research has examined cybersecurity awareness across diverse academic backgrounds in Malaysian comprehensive private universities. This study addresses this gap by investigating the impact of gender, student knowledge, social media, and password security management on students’ cybersecurity awareness in the northern region of Malaysia. A quantitative research design was adopted and employed a structured questionnaire distributed to 381 students from seven comprehensive private universities in this region. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, reliability test, Pearson Correlation, Independent-samples Ttest, and Multiple Regression Analysis via SPSS 26.0. The results revealed that student knowledge, social media, and password security management had significant relationships with cybersecurity awareness, whereas gender differences showed no statistically significant effect. Among the significant variables, student knowledge emerged as the strongest determinant of cybersecurity awareness levels. The findings hold practical value for universities, policymakers, and government by providing evidence-based insights and enhancing digital safety education. Integrating targeted cybersecurity training into academic programmes and leveraging social media as an educational tool can foster a more security-conscious student community. This study contributes to the existing research by focusing on a less-explored student demographic in Malaysia, offering a comprehensive understanding of behavioural and knowledge-based factors that influence cybersecurity awareness. The outcomes not only fill a research gap but also support the development of strategic initiatives to strengthen the nation’s resilience against cyber threats. Keywords: Cybersecurity awareness, student knowledge, password security management, social media, gender Subject area: Q300-390 Cybernetics

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